Changed Identity
by Arya Daeriel
Summary: Frank had disappeared and is thought dead while trailing some bank robbers. The bank robbers are caught thanks to an anonymous caller. Who is the stranger who looks so much like Frank that is caught as well? Any ideas for a better name?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Don't own it, never have, never will!**

**A/N: This was a dream I had a couple weeks ago and it seemed like a good fanfic. Dreams are typically quite strange, so I'm omitting the more…bizarre parts.**

**Thoughts and flashbacks are in **_**italics.**_

_He was gone, _Joe thought as he and his father sped along to the sight of their next lead. Frank was gone. If only he hadn't gone to track the crooks alone, he might not be dead. Not that we know that's true, but what else could have happened?

Joe looked out the window and thought back to the day Frank had disappeared.

~Flashback~

_Frank and Joe were watching Chet fly his kite into a tree when the Mrs. Morton came out of the house to tell them that their father was on the phone._

_ "What's wrong Dad?" Frank asked once he had picked up the phone. Joe leaned close to the earpiece to hear why their father was calling._

_ "The bank on Bell Street has been robbed and I want you to come down here to help me look around for clues," Fenton Hardy's voice said._

_ "Alright, we'll be right down," Frank replied and hung up the phone and turned to Joe. "You heard?"_

_Joe nodded in response then said, "We'd better get going."_

_After telling Chet what had happened they got in their car and drove off toward the bank._

_When Frank and Joe arrived at the bank they were filled in by their father._

"_These crooks have robbed several other banks across the country, but it seems as though they didn't do such a clean job this time so we're hoping they might have left a clue to their hideout or their next heist," Mr. Hardy explained. They then split up to search for clues._

_An hour later Joe had just about given up when Frank ran toward him and his father._

_ "I think I found a lead to where they might have their hideout! Should I follow it?" Frank asked._

_ "You should before it goes cold," Mr. Hardy said. "But be careful!"_

_ "Do you want me to go too?" Joe asked his father._

_ "No, I need you to help me clear things up here." Mr. Hardy turned towards Frank. "Call us by this evening if you're not going to back anytime soon."_

_But Frank never called. Mr. Hardy, Joe, and the police searched but all they found was Frank's car in a ditch with broken windows and blood on the seat. _

_**Three Months Later**_

_The phone rang and Joe answered. A voice came over the receiver and said, "You remember those crooks that killed your brother? Well they're striking again in two days at the West America Bank in Roseville."_

"_How do you know this?" Joe asked._

"_I've joined up with the crooks to get them caught."_

"_Who are you?" _

_There was a click and the line went dead._

~End Flashback~

"What are you thinking about?" Mr. Hardy asked his son.

"Frank," Joe replied. He watched his father's eyes fill with sadness and turn back to the road.

**I know it's short, but I promise the next chapters will be longer. Review please!!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: Iola died in the Hardy Boys. If I owned the Hardy Boys Iola would never have died.**

"You ready?" A muscular man in his late thirties and a scar in the shape of a claw on his cheek asked his companions. They all replied that they were except for the youngest of them.

"Hey Anthony, you ready?" asked a short man with a bear gut.

"Yes," Anthony replied. Anthony was the youngest of the group, only nineteen, and hadn't been with them long. He hadn't been in on any of their jobs yet because they had decided to lay low for awhile after they killed a detective's son. This was his first time, and doing this correctly was very important.

Anthony entered the bank, slightly behind Scarface and Shorty. It was an average day there. There were people waiting in lines at the tellers, but it wasn't packed with lines ten people long. Anthony and his companions acted like normal customers and stood in line behind a tall lady, but upon closer inspection she just had on five inch heels.

When they got up to the teller the lady asked, "What can I do for you?"

"This is an armed robbery, so stick 'em up!" Scarface said to the lady and pulled out a gun to prove his point.

"Now," said Shorty, "Give us all the money you have!"

"Uh, yes sir!" the lady squeaked.

"And the rest of you stay put!" Scarface swung the gun around to the people in the bank. "Can't have you running off to call the cops, now can we!"

Just then a voice from behind him said, "Drop the gun!" Scarface whirled around to see a man holding up a gun. "You're surrounded, so don't move or you'll get a bullet in your back!" Shorty recognized the man. He was the detective whose kid he'd killed a couple months back. Scarface came to the same realization.

Anthony saw armed men appear everywhere surrounding him and his companions. Scarface dropped the gun and it fell with a clatter to the floor.

"Now kick the gun away from you!" the detective said. Scarface didn't do it. "I said kick the gun away from you!" the detective repeated. Since his companion showed no move to do as he was told, Anthony kicked the gun away himself.

"Good, now allow my men to handcuff you!" Scarface cursed under his breath, but allowed himself to be handcuffed and led away.

Anthony too was handcuffed. The man who was handcuffing him said, "You shouldn't have let yourself get mixed up with them kid. You're too young."

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~

Mr. Hardy and Joe watched as the crooks got led away. They were glad they had finally apprehended them, but not soon enough. If they had caught them sooner, Frank might never have died. Joe watched the youngest one, and realized something. _He looks just like Frank._

__**Yes, I know I said it would be longer, but I couldn't make it any longer without running into the next chapter.  
**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: Don't own, never have, never will.**

**A/N: *hides under bed to avoid readers glares* I'm sorry this has taken so long to update, but I was stuck. I couldn't figure out why Frank would have been gone so long without having lost his memory. I could have had him loose his memory, but that would mean redoing the whole story and that's not how it worked out in my dream. I may write a fic where Frank looses his memory, disappears, is found, and works on regaining it, but not now. Also, I know nothing of the way interrogations and all that work, so this is just a guess. Anyway, enjoy!**

"Your name?"

"Randy Albert Fisher, known as Shorty to my friends," Shorty said. They were handcuffed to chairs and being interrogated by Fenton Hardy and a group of police officers. The police knew that they couldn't have been the only ones pulling off the heists. There had to be more in their gang and that's what they were trying to find out. Who they were and where their hideout was.

"And what about to those who are not your friends?" One cocky police officer asked.

"I am known as death to those who are unfortunate enough to not be my friend."

The police officers chuckled at this statement and moved on to Scarface.

"Name?" asked him.

"Andrew Kallon Barnebous, also known as Scarface for obvious reasons," Scarface said. The officers next moved on to Anthony.

"Anthony Fenton Davidson," Anthony said before could ask for his name. Mr. Hardy was quite shocked when he heard the youth's middle name. First he looked like Frank, second he had his first name for his middle name. was glad that he had told Joe to help clean up the bank before coming here.

"Alright, we would like you to tell us where your hideout and the rest of your men are."

"Like hell we'd tell you!" Shorty said defiantly. "You think that we'd sell out the rest of our gang just because you caught us?"

Fenton Hardy looked Shorty straight in the eye. "No, but it might shorten your sentence if you helped."

"I said no, and I mean no!" Shorty spat.

"Come on boss, maybe we should tell them. It's not like we're getting out of here anytime soon anyway," Scarface said.

"Didn't you hear what I said to the detective, Scarface? I said no!"

"What about you, Anthony?" Fenton moved to where Anthony sat. "Will you tell us?"

"I would if I knew, sir," Anthony said. "I only ever worked with Shorty and Scarface here and they never told me much."

Even though he knew that it may well be a lie, Fenton Hardy believed him when he said that. "Alright," he said, "maybe a question that would be simpler to answer: Which one of you tipped us off about the robbery that was going to take place?"

Shorty and Scarface looked shocked. Sure they had wondered how the police knew that they were going to strike again after three months, but they hadn't expected that someone had tipped the police off. They had thought more along the lines of somebody recognizing them and running off to tell the police before they struck.

Just then Joe came in. "All finished cleaning up, Dad!" he said. "What have you managed to get out of them?" Joe purposefully did not look at Anthony. He couldn't stand to see the face that looked so much like his brother's he could be his twin.

"Not much. I was just asking which one of them tipped us off," Mr. Hardy said. "And I'm still waiting for an answer." Mr. Hardy turned back to the criminals. "Well?"

"That would be me, sir," Anthony said. The other two crooks stared at him and Joe internally winced at his voice. It too was like Frank's.

"Figures," said Shorty. "I knew that there was something fishy about the kid."

"Yeah, it was fishy, but that would most likely mean that he only joined us to help get us imprisoned," Scarface said.

"Of course that's why he joined us, dolt," Shorty snapped at Scarface. "But why a nineteen year old kid would try to do that is beyond me,"

"Why did you do it?" Mr. Hardy asked. Joe reluctantly turned to look at Anthony to hear the answer.

"Because I knew it had to be done in order to catch them."

"What were you going to do if we didn't get to the bank in time?"

"I was pretty sure you would get there, but in the unlikely chance that you didn't, I was going to turn on Shorty and Scarface and try to stall them until you did get here."

"And if you had done that done that you would have gotten a bullet through the heart," Shorty muttered.

"It was a very dangerous thing to do indeed," Mr. Hardy said. "But why would you even consider joining up with the robbers? You must have known there was a very good chance that it would get you killed."

"As I said before, I did what had to be done," Anthony said.

Joe couldn't stand it anymore. He rushed over to Anthony's chair and put his hands on the arms. "Who are you?"

"Joe!" Mr. Hardy reprimanded. "Come back over here!"

"No, Dad. No normal nineteen year old boy would just go and join a group of known bank robbers just to tip off the police about one of the heists. That's the kind of thing Frank and I would have done, not some random teenager!"

"Who are you?" he demanded again. "And why do you look so much like my brother?"

"I will explain, but first could you take off these handcuffs so I may do so better?" Anthony said.

"Take them off," Mr. Hardy told a police officer. The officers hesitated a moment but then did so.

"Now may I see your bag?" Anthony asked gesturing to the bag Fenton Hardy kept all his gadgetry in. Confused, handed it over. Anthony rummaged in it for a moment before pulling out the special dye remover that Mr. Hardy often used to disguise himself.

With his back to the Hardys, Anthony opened the bottle and put some of the dye remover on his hair and rubbed it in. Slowly, his blond hair turned dark brown, almost black. He pulled out an ear stud that had been in his left ear. He then pulled the makeup remover out of the bag and removed the makeup that had been on his face.

He then turned to face Fenton and Joe Hardy and they saw, not Anthony Davidson, but Frank Hardy!

**Please Review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: Don't own, never have, never will.**

**A/N: Now this is the chapter I've been waiting for. Originally, and according to my dream, it would end with this chapter but I was overtaken by an idea that will make this longer. Enjoy!**

_He then turned to face Fenton and Joe Hardy and they saw, not Anthony Davidson, but Frank Hardy!_

Joe gaped, Mr. Hardy went pale, all the other officers in the room wore shocked expressions.

"Frank?" Joe asked slightly disbelieving. "Is it really you?"

"It's really me, Joe!" Frank said grinning slightly. "It's really me."

"Frank!" Joe practically threw himself across the room and bear hugged his brother.

"It's good to see you again, little brother," Frank said and hugged Joe back.

"We thought you were dead! Where have you been?" Joe asked.

"All in good time, all in good time." Frank pulled out of Joe's embrace and walked toward his father.

"Dad?"

"Frank," Mr. Hardy said, then pulled Frank into his embrace. "Frank…it's so good to see you again, son."

"It's good to see you too, Dad." It felt so good to finally be able to give up the disguise. To see his father and brother again. He knew he'd have a lot of questions to answer, but at the moment he didn't care.

Joe grinned as he watched his father and Frank. He was just so happy to see Frank again. He truly felt like jumping around the room they were in. He did wonder though, why had Frank done it? Why had he pretended to be dead. Couldn't he have told them that he was alive? But that could wait, at the moment he just wanted to bask in the joy of having his brother back.

Fenton Hardy smiled a true smile for the first time in a long time as he hugged Frank. For the past three months he had thought his eldest son was dead. Now having him be alive, holding him in his arms, Mr. Hardy felt like crying with joy.

"I'm sorry to break up this cozy little reunion, but aren't you supposed to be dealing with us?" Shorty spoke up, getting bored. It had been quite shocking to find out that Anthony was actually Frank Hardy, the boy they thought they had killed three months back.

Mr. Hardy released Frank and turned back to the criminals.

"Are you still going to refuse to answer questions?" Mr. Hardy asked.

"As I said before, we aren't telling you anything," Shorty said defiantly.

"Very well," Mr. Hardy turned to one of the police officers. "Lock them up. I'll try to get something more out of them in the morning."

As Shorty and Scarface were lead away, Mr. Hardy turned to Frank and Joe who were talking in a corner.

"Come, we should head back to the hotel."

When they arrived at the hotel the three of them went up to the room Fenton and Joe had booked for the next two nights.

Frank sat down on one of the beds.

"I'm sorry, Dad, Joe," he said.

"There's no need to apologize, Frank," Mr. Hardy said. "As you said yourself, you did what you had to do."

"But I didn't have to do it and you know that!" Frank said. "I could have just come back home after the crooks ran me off the road. I didn't_ have _to follow them. I didn't have to join them."

"You saw an opportunity and you took it." Mr. Hardy said, calmly. "There's no need to apologize for taking an opportunity. I you hadn't taken it, we may not have got those two today."

"You thought I was dead," Frank said sadly. "I can never apologize enough for how much sadness I caused you and Joe and Mom. How is she coping, by the way?"

"She's doing alright. Sad but alright."

"See? This is what I'm talking about! Mom has probably been sad every day for the past three months because of what I did!"

"Do you want us to be mad at you, brother?" Joe asked.

"No, I don't want you to be mad at me, but you should be mad at me!"

"But we're not, Frank," Mr. Hardy said. "Quite the contrary. I am proud of you, a little annoyed you didn't tell us you were alive, but proud and happy to see you alive."

"What did happen that night, the night you disappeared?" Joe asked.

Frank's face darkened.

"After I left the bank I followed the crooks out of Bayport. I think they knew they were being followed the whole time. After we were about a mile out of town Scarface leaned out of the window with a gun and started shooting at me. None of the bullets hit me but it distracted me. I was too busy concentrating on avoiding the bullets that I didn't notice Shorty, whom was driving the car, slam on the breaks until it was too late. I swerved to try to avoid smashing into their car and ended up going into a ditch."

"Where did the blood come from?" Joe queried.

"I'm getting to that. When the car went into the ditch I hit my head against the steering wheel and fell unconscious. When I woke up I worked on getting myself out of the car. The blood came from when I cut myself on a piece of broken glass reaching into the glovebox to get the hair dye and make up that we always keep in there for emergencies. After I was done disguising myself, I hitched a ride to the next town. I was about to call you guys from a pay phone when I saw Scarface and Shorty. It was then I decided to try to join in with them to get them caught."

"How_ did_ you manage to join up with them?"

"I made an attempted robbery of a store they entered."

"You what?" Joe gaped. "To think my goody-two-shoes brother made an attempted robbery of a store."

Frank grinned, "You know it is possible that if I hadn't tried to do that I would never have gotten in with Shorty and Scarface. Anyway, the police came before I could take anything. I ran out of the store and hid in a back alley. I knew the crooks had followed me and sure enough a few minutes later Shorty and Scarface came into the alley and offered me a place in the little gang. And that's how it happened."

"Very ingenious," Mr. Hardy said. "What about the tip-off?"

"Once while Shorty and Scarface went out to get some supplies I snuck out, Shorty and Scarface didn't entirely trust me yet, and used a pay phone to call you. Our conversation was cut short by Shorty coming around a corner. I couldn't let him catch me calling anybody so I had to hang up on you, Joe. Sorry."

"It's alright," Joe said.

Frank let out a huge yawn. He was exhausted after the days events.

"You should get some sleep," his father said.

"I should talk to Mom first," Frank said. "I don't want her going on any longer thinking I'm dead."

"That would probably be a good idea."

Mr. Hardy dialed his home number and Laura Hardy picked up after the first ring.

"Hello Laura," Mr. Hardy said into the receiver. "I've got good news, we caught the crooks."

"You did?" Mrs. Hardy's voice came over the phone.

"We did. And there's someone here who would like to talk to you. Is it alright if I put him on the line?"

"I guess so."

Mr. Hardy handed the phone to Frank who stood up from his place on the bed.

"Hi, Mom!" Frank said.

At the other end back in Bayport Laura Hardy gasped in shock.

"Frank?" She asked, not being believe it was true.

"Yes, Mom, it's me. I'm alive!"

"Oh Frank, I'm so happy you're alive! But what happened?"

"It's kind of a long story. Could I tell you when I get home? I'm kind of tired now."

"Of course, Franky **(1)**. You get some sleep, okay?"

"I will. I love you, Mom."

"I love you too, Frank."

With that Frank hung up the phone, grinning. It felt so good to have given up the pretense. He sat back down on the bed still smiling.

"Mom will certainly be happier now," Joe said.

"I still feel really guilty for having you think I was dead," Frank said. It was true. Guilt weighed down on his chest. His brother, his father, his mother, all the people he knew back in Bayport thought he had been dead.

"Don't be. We aren't mad at you in the slightest, just happy to have you back," Joe said. "Actually happy is a bit of an understatement. When I saw that you and Anthony were one and the same I literally felt like cartwheeling around the room."

"And what a sight that would have been," Frank laughed. "Joe Hardy cartwheeling around an interrogation room, all dignity forgotten."

"Hey! I was glad to see that you were alive!" Joe said, slapping his brother's arm.

Mr. Hardy grinned at his sons antics but could also see that Frank was actually quite tired.

"I do have to admit myself, that would have been quite a sight to behold," Mr. Hardy said. "Now Frank, I do believe I heard you promise your mother that you'd get some rest."

"Too true," Frank said yawning again and laying back on the bed he was sitting on. He was silent now and had presumedly fallen asleep. Mr. Hardy grabbed the blanket off the foot of the bed and lay it on Frank's sleeping form.

"It's good to have you back, Frank," he whispered more to himself than anything.

"It's good to be back," Frank said shocking Mr. Hardy at first, but then Mr. Hardy smiled glad beyond belief to have his son back.

**1) I have no idea where that nickname came from. It just seemed natural that Frank's mother would call him that.**

**And I do believe that was the longest chapter I've ever written for anything. And no, it's not complete. They still have to find the rest of the crooks that were part of all the bank heists. Please review! I only got one review for the last chapter and it kind of disappointed me. More reviews for this chapter please!**


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